Computed Radiography ImageCIOD
CT ImageCIOD
MR ImageCIOD
Nuclear Medicine ImageCIOD
Ultrasound ImageCIOD
Ultrasound Multi-frame ImageCIOD
Secondary Capture ImageCIOD
Multi-frame Single Bit Secondary Capture ImageCIOD
Multi-frame Grayscale Byte Secondary Capture ImageCIOD
Multi-frame Grayscale Word Secondary Capture ImageCIOD
Multi-frame True Color Secondary Capture ImageCIOD
X-Ray Angiographic ImageCIOD
X-Ray Radiofluoroscopic ImageCIOD
RT ImageCIOD
RT DoseCIOD
RT Structure SetCIOD
RT PlanCIOD
Positron Emission Tomography ImageCIOD
Digital X-Ray ImageCIOD
Digital Mammography X-Ray ImageCIOD
Digital Intra-Oral X-Ray ImageCIOD
RT Beams Treatment RecordCIOD
RT Brachy Treatment RecordCIOD
RT Treatment Summary RecordCIOD
VL Endoscopic ImageCIOD
VL Microscopic ImageCIOD
VL Slide-Coordinates Microscopic ImageCIOD
VL Photographic ImageCIOD
Video Endoscopic ImageCIOD
Video Microscopic ImageCIOD
Video Photographic ImageCIOD
VL Whole Slide Microscopy ImageCIOD
Real-Time Video Endoscopic ImageCIOD
Real-Time Video Photographic ImageCIOD
Dermoscopic Photography ImageCIOD
PatientMModule - Patient
Clinical Trial SubjectUModule - Patient
General StudyMModule - Study
Patient StudyUModule - Study
Clinical Trial StudyUModule - Study
General SeriesMModule - Series
Clinical Trial SeriesUModule - Series
General EquipmentMModule - Equipment
Enhanced General EquipmentMModule - Equipment
VL Photographic EquipmentUModule - Equipment
General AcquisitionMModule - Acquisition
General ImageMModule - Image
(0008,0008) Image Type3Code String
(0008,0023) Content Date2CDate
(0008,0033) Content Time2CTime
(0008,2218) Anatomic Region Sequence3Sequence
(0008,2228) Primary Anatomic Structure Sequence3Sequence
(0020,0013) Instance Number2Integer String
(0020,0020) Patient Orientation2CCode String
(0020,0062) Image Laterality3Code String
(0020,4000) Image Comments3Long Text
(0028,0300) Quality Control Image3Code String
(0028,0301) Burned In Annotation3Code String
(0028,0302) Recognizable Visual Features3Code String
(0028,2110) Lossy Image Compression3Code String
(0028,2112) Lossy Image Compression Ratio3Decimal String
(0028,2114) Lossy Image Compression Method3Code String
(0040,9096) Real World Value Mapping Sequence3Sequence
(0088,0200) Icon Image Sequence3Sequence
(2050,0020) Presentation LUT Shape3Code String
General ReferenceUModule - Image
Image PixelMModule - Image
Acquisition ContextMModule - Image
VL ImageMModule - Image
VL Photographic AcquisitionUModule - Image
Dermoscopic ImageMModule - Image
ICC ProfileUModule - Image
SOP CommonMModule - Image
Common Instance ReferenceUModule - Image
Grayscale Softcopy Presentation StateCIOD
Color Softcopy Presentation StateCIOD
Pseudo-Color Softcopy Presentation StateCIOD
Blending Softcopy Presentation StateCIOD
Basic Structured DisplayCIOD
XA/XRF Grayscale Softcopy Presentation StateCIOD
Advanced Blending Presentation StateCIOD
Variable Modality LUT Softcopy Presentation StateCIOD
Basic Voice Audio WaveformCIOD
12-Lead ECGCIOD
General ECGCIOD
Ambulatory ECGCIOD
Hemodynamic WaveformCIOD
Basic Cardiac Electrophysiology WaveformCIOD
Arterial Pulse WaveformCIOD
Respiratory WaveformCIOD
General Audio WaveformCIOD
Real-Time Audio WaveformCIOD
Routine Scalp ElectroencephalogramCIOD
ElectromyogramCIOD
ElectrooculogramCIOD
Sleep ElectroencephalogramCIOD
Multi-channel Respiratory WaveformCIOD
Body Position WaveformCIOD
General 32-bit ECGCIOD
Basic Text SRCIOD
Enhanced SRCIOD
Comprehensive SRCIOD
Key Object Selection DocumentCIOD
Mammography CAD SRCIOD
Chest CAD SRCIOD
Procedure LogCIOD
X-Ray Radiation Dose SRCIOD
Spectacle Prescription ReportCIOD
Colon CAD SRCIOD
Macular Grid Thickness and Volume ReportCIOD
Implantation Plan SR DocumentCIOD
Comprehensive 3D SRCIOD
Radiopharmaceutical Radiation Dose SRCIOD
Extensible SRCIOD
Acquisition Context SRCIOD
Simplified Adult Echo SRCIOD
Patient Radiation Dose SRCIOD
Planned Imaging Agent Administration SRCIOD
Performed Imaging Agent Administration SRCIOD
Rendition Selection DocumentCIOD
Enhanced X-Ray Radiation Dose SRCIOD
Enhanced MR ImageCIOD
MR SpectroscopyCIOD
Enhanced MR Color ImageCIOD
Raw DataCIOD
Enhanced CT ImageCIOD
Spatial RegistrationCIOD
Deformable Spatial RegistrationCIOD
Spatial FiducialsCIOD
Ophthalmic Photography 8 Bit ImageCIOD
Ophthalmic Photography 16 Bit ImageCIOD
Stereometric RelationshipCIOD
Hanging ProtocolCIOD
Encapsulated PDFCIOD
Encapsulated CDACIOD
Real World Value MappingCIOD
Enhanced XA ImageCIOD
Enhanced XRF ImageCIOD
RT Ion PlanCIOD
RT Ion Beams Treatment RecordCIOD
SegmentationCIOD
Ophthalmic Tomography ImageCIOD
X-Ray 3D Angiographic ImageCIOD
X-Ray 3D Craniofacial ImageCIOD
Breast Tomosynthesis ImageCIOD
Enhanced PET ImageCIOD
Surface SegmentationCIOD
Color PaletteCIOD
Enhanced US VolumeCIOD
Lensometry MeasurementsCIOD
Autorefraction MeasurementsCIOD
Keratometry MeasurementsCIOD
Subjective Refraction MeasurementsCIOD
Visual Acuity MeasurementsCIOD
Ophthalmic Axial MeasurementsCIOD
Intraocular Lens CalculationsCIOD
Generic Implant TemplateCIOD
Implant Assembly TemplateCIOD
Implant Template GroupCIOD
RT Beams Delivery InstructionCIOD
Ophthalmic Visual Field Static Perimetry MeasurementsCIOD
Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography ImageCIOD
Ophthalmic Thickness MapCIOD
Surface Scan MeshCIOD
Surface Scan Point CloudCIOD
Legacy Converted Enhanced CT ImageCIOD
Legacy Converted Enhanced MR ImageCIOD
Legacy Converted Enhanced PET ImageCIOD
Corneal Topography MapCIOD
Breast Projection X-Ray ImageCIOD
Parametric MapCIOD
Wide Field Ophthalmic Photography Stereographic Projection ImageCIOD
Wide Field Ophthalmic Photography 3D Coordinates ImageCIOD
Tractography ResultsCIOD
RT Brachy Application Setup Delivery InstructionCIOD
Planar MPR Volumetric Presentation StateCIOD
Volume Rendering Volumetric Presentation StateCIOD
Content Assessment ResultsCIOD
CT Performed Procedure ProtocolCIOD
CT Defined Procedure ProtocolCIOD
Protocol ApprovalCIOD
XA Performed Procedure ProtocolCIOD
XA Defined Procedure ProtocolCIOD
Ophthalmic Optical Coherence Tomography En Face ImageCIOD
Ophthalmic Optical Coherence Tomography B-scan Volume AnalysisCIOD
Encapsulated STLCIOD
Encapsulated OBJCIOD
Encapsulated MTLCIOD
RT Physician IntentCIOD
RT Segment AnnotationCIOD
RT Radiation SetCIOD
C-Arm Photon-Electron RadiationCIOD
Tomotherapeutic RadiationCIOD
Robotic-Arm RadiationCIOD
RT Radiation Record SetCIOD
RT Radiation Salvage RecordCIOD
C-Arm Photon-Electron Radiation RecordCIOD
Tomotherapeutic Radiation RecordCIOD
Robotic-Arm Radiation RecordCIOD
RT Radiation Set Delivery InstructionCIOD
RT Treatment PreparationCIOD
Enhanced RT ImageCIOD
Enhanced Continuous RT ImageCIOD
RT Patient Position Acquisition InstructionCIOD
Microscopy Bulk Simple AnnotationsCIOD
InventoryCIOD
Photoacoustic ImageCIOD
Confocal Microscopy ImageCIOD
Confocal Microscopy Tiled Pyramidal ImageCIOD
Basic DirectoryCIOD

Built with by Innolitics, a team of medical imaging software developers.

Data synced with official DICOM standard on 18 April 2024. The DICOM Standard is under continuous maintenance, and the current official version is available at http://www.dicomstandard.org/current/. DICOM Parts 3, 4, and 6, © NEMA. Please note that the most recent PDF version of the standard is the official reference, and should checked when making technical decisions.

Patient Orientation Attribute

Tag(0020,0020)
TypeConditionally Required, Empty if Unknown (2C)
KeywordPatientOrientation
Value Multiplicity2
Value RepresentationCode String (CS)
Example Values
  • ['P', 'F']
  • ['L', 'P']
  • ['L', 'F']

Patient direction of the rows and columns of the image. Required if image does not require Image Orientation (Patient) (0020,0037) and Image Position (Patient) (0020,0032) or if image does not require Image Orientation (Slide) (0048,0102). May be present otherwise. See Section C.7.6.1.1.1 for further explanation.

Note

IODs may have Attributes other than Patient Orientation, Image Orientation, or Image Position (Patient) to describe orientation in which case this Attribute will be zero length.

Section C.7.6.1.1.1

C.7.6.1.1.1 Patient Orientation

Patient Orientation (0020,0020) relative to the image plane shall be specified by two values that designate the anatomical direction of the positive row axis (left to right) and the positive column axis (top to bottom). The first entry is the direction of the rows, given by the direction of the last pixel in the first row from the first pixel in that row. The second entry is the direction of the columns, given by the direction of the last pixel in the first column from the first pixel in that column. Shall be consistent with Image Orientation (Patient) (0020,0037), if both Attributes are present and Patient Orientation (0020,0020) is not zero length.

If Anatomical Orientation Type (0010,2210) is absent or has a value of BIPED, anatomical direction shall be designated by abbreviations using the capital letters:

  • A (anterior)

  • P (posterior)

  • R (right)

  • L (left)

  • H (head)

  • F (foot)

If Anatomical Orientation Type (0010,2210) has a value of QUADRUPED, anatomical direction shall be designated by the abbreviations using capital letters:

  • LE (Le or Left)

  • RT (Rt or Right)

  • D (Dorsal)

  • V (Ventral)

  • CR (Cr or Cranial)

  • CD (Cd or Caudal)

  • R (Rostral)

  • M (Medial)

  • L (Lateral)

  • PR (Pr or Proximal)

  • DI (Di or Distal)

  • PA (Pa or Palmar)

  • PL (Pl or Plantar)

Note

  1. These abbreviations are capitalized versions of those defined in Smallwood et al for describing radiographic projections. Because of the Code String (CS) Value Representation of Patient Orientation (0020,0020), lowercase letters cannot be used.

  2. It is unfortunate that the conventional veterinary abbreviations (e.g., R for rostral and Rt for right) differ from those chosen for humans for DICOM usage (e.g., R for right), but confusion with in the respective human and non-human organism domains will be reduced. Hanging protocols may need to account for the difference by checking for the correct species.

  3. Smallwood et al define an O (Oblique) abbreviation, which is useful for describing radiographic projections, but do not specify its use for directional terms, and hence it is not included here for describing the row and column directions.

  4. The terms "anterior" and "posterior" are commonly used in vertebrate zoology to describe the cranial and caudal directions respectively, the veterinary terms are used in preference here, also in order to avoid confusion with the contradictory human use of anterior and posterior to mean ventral and dorsal.

  5. For non-human organisms other than quadrupeds, for example, birds and fish, it is anticipated that the same nomenclature can be logically extended to describe, for example, wings and fins.

Each value of the orientation Attribute shall contain at least one of these abbreviations. If refinements in the orientation descriptions are to be specified, then they shall be designated by one or two additional abbreviations in each value. Within each value, the abbreviations shall be ordered with the principal orientation designated in the first abbreviations.

Note

  1. For bipeds, since each abbreviation is a single character, no delimiter is required within a single value and none is used. For quadrupeds, though lowercase letters cannot be used, delimiters are not necessary within a single value to eliminate ambiguity, since the abbreviations used are sufficiently distinct, and can be parsed from left to right with a single character of lookahead.

  2. E.g., a medio-lateral oblique projection of the left breast of a human might be encoded with Patient Orientation values of "A\FR" rather than "A\F", since the plane is obliquely inclined such that the columns are directed both downwards and medially, which for a left breast is towards the right, though the downwards direction is the principal column orientation.

  3. E.g., a right dorsal-left ventral oblique view of a quadruped's abdomen might be encoded with Patient Orientation values of "LEV\CD", rather than "LE\CD", since the plane is obliquely inclined such that the rows are directed both to the left and ventrally, though the left direction is the principal row orientation. The abbreviations "LEV", "LE" and "CD", correspond to the designations in Smallwood et al of "LeV", "Le" and "Cd", respectively